The Greatest Good of Socratic Dialogue

ABSTRACT:

..."If I say that it is the greatest good for a man to discuss virtue every day and those other things which you hear me conversing and testing myself and others, for the unexamined life is not worth living for men, you will believe me even less." Socrates, The Apology. Though Athens at the time may not have realized it, Socratic dialogue and the dialectic form the backbone of classical humanities. Yet what does it look like for these practices to be the daily backbone of a class? Through demonstration, troubleshooting, and dialogue, this seminar will explore the essential goals, challenges, and practices of leading through Socratic discussion.

TAGS:

Classical EducationHumanitiesSocratic Discussion

Resources:

Zach teaches the beautiful words (Humanities) and coaches the beautiful game (soccer) at Trinity Classical Academy in Valencia, CA. A faculty member at Trinity since 2008, he has helped design and execute Trinity's pioneering Rhetoric program. In addition to pursuing excellence in the craft of teaching, the focus of Zach's career as an educator has been in curriculum and cultural development in the context of classical, Christian education. A graduate of Biola University's Torrey Honor Program, Zach enjoys exploring the wilds of Los Angeles, with his lovely wife, Elise.